Travel Destinations to Tajikistan
Tajikistan is a patchwork of self-contained valleys and regional contrasts, forged together by Soviet nation-building and shared pride in a Persian cultural heritage that is claimed as the oldest and most influential in the Silk Road region.
The Tajiks come from an ancient stock – the inhabitants of the Pamir Mountains claim to be the only pure descendants of the Aryan tribes who invaded India over 4000 years ago, and that the Saxon tribes of Western Europe also originated there. Tajikistan’s inaccessibility has protected it from most invaders, although Alexander the Great founded a city on the site of modern-day Khojand, calling it Alexandria Eskate (Alexandria the Furthest).
Tajikistan was established as a sovereign state in 1991, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The ensuing power struggle led to civil war in late 1992, resulting in about 30,000 deaths. In 1994, Russian troops were brought in at the request of the beleaguered regime.
Moscow also brokered negotiations between the government and the United Tajik Opposition (UTO). By 1997, the government and opposition had gradually put together a workable deal, under which the UTO accepted a 30 per cent share of administrative responsibilities and integrated some of its units into the army. The government would, for its part, legalize the main opposition political parties that were previously banned. LP/Wiki